Genshin Impact, all those behind-the-scenes big shots are me

“Count Melos? He’s really daring. Does he think Lady Funina’s identity as the water goddess is fake?”

“I saw it with my own eyes! Dozens, even hundreds of people rushed towards Lady Funina, but it was no use! She only said one word, ‘Kneel down,’ and then everyone knelt down.”

"Hiss~ Is she that amazing? Lady Funina is always so cheerful and approachable... I mean, she's really a goddess."

"Of course, Lady Funina is to judge the gods. How could she possibly subdue the other gods without some strength?"

News of the attack on the water god has spread. Although there were few people at the scene, there were a lot of people who claimed to have "seen it with their own eyes," and their stories were getting more and more outrageous. They said that Lady Funina uttered holy words, which were like a divine judgment from heaven, and that within a radius of ten miles, all gods and spirits submitted to her.

The people of Fontaine finally realized that Lady Funina's usual "lively and cute" demeanor was all an act. It was a theatrical performance by Lady Funina to interact with her subjects. They must not be fooled by her appearance!

Thanks to this, those who had previously questioned Funina all tucked their tails between their legs and hid in the crowd.

"Alright, Vilette, let's begin. I can't wait to see this play," said Furna, smiling as she took her seat in the audience.

Navelette nodded slightly, about to make the announcement, when Melos in the defendant's dock suddenly shouted, "Wait a minute!"

He made a decision immediately after seeing Su Chen stand in the plaintiff's seat. Although he didn't know what evidence the latter had, his intuition told him that once the trial officially started, there would be no turning back.

"Judge Navelette, I request a duel to prove my innocence!" Melos shouted.

"Oh~"

Su Chen raised his eyebrows.

In Fontaine, a just trial is a necessary process for determining guilt, but there are always exceptions. In order to give hope to some people who are unwilling to go to court and have some strange obsessions, Fontaine's laws stipulate that those who are about to be tried can prove their innocence through a duel.

As a renowned lawyer, Su Chen naturally knew about this law.

Although he felt that these rules were a bit outrageous, this was exactly what he was looking forward to.

"Melos, are you really that insecure about this trial?" Su Chen sneered. "As the vice commander of the navy, are you already backing down before the battle even begins?"

Melos defended himself, saying, "Ryder, you don't need to provoke me like this. I am the Vice Commander of the Navy, and that's why I feel you have no right to judge me. I protect the waters of Fontainebleau and fight for my people. This honor does not allow me to be judged in this manner, which is why I have chosen to duel! I will use my strength to shatter those slanders and prove my innocence!"

"Oh! Not bad, not bad!" Funina clapped her hands and laughed loudly, "You're very spirited! There's a reason why you're so loud~ Anyway, the trial will continue, it's not bad to watch the duels among the common people from time to time."

The people in the audience looked at each other in bewilderment.

Melos is indeed very loud. Does being loud make a difference? Well, since Lady Funina says so, let's just take it as true. Anyway, in Fontaine, duels can be considered a part of the trial.

Navelette's expression remained unchanged; for him, whether it was a trial or a duel, the task was the same.

"And you?" he asked, looking at Rost and the others.

"We will not request a duel for the time being."

Rost immediately shook his head.

They had just discussed this point. The trial came too suddenly, and the series of charges against them were a bit overwhelming. But after calming down and thinking about it, Ryder might not have any evidence to accuse them.

On the contrary, if they lose their composure now and rush into a duel, they might fall into Ryder's trap.

"Where would he get evidence of our crimes?" After discussing it with the others, Rost decided to deny everything!

Even if, hypothetically, they lose this trial, at most they'll just be imprisoned in Mero Petersburg.

Fontaine has no death penalty!

With all their years of experience, they could live quite well even inside.

But Melos didn't want to gamble like that. He was confident in his martial arts skills and felt a strange fear of Su Chen, so he chose to duel.

"Therefore, Your Excellency Melos's request for a duel is hereby granted."

No sooner had Navelette finished speaking than Funina, resting her chin on her right hand, said in a willful voice, "Ah~ it's too much trouble to go to the dueling arena at this time, let's just start here on this stage."

Funina's tone suddenly turned cold, giving everyone present the illusion that 'the Water Goddess is angry'.

Was that smile real or fake?

The trial has begun, and the audience is in place.

Navelette glanced at them and nodded: "Okay."

He had no objections as long as it didn't violate the principles of adjudication.

“Then please come up, Miss Aina,” Navelette ordered.

Immediately afterwards, to everyone's astonishment, Aina, who had been waiting, walked out of a room to the side.

"this..."

"How could it be Aina?!"

The nobles were stunned.

At this moment, Aina has changed into a black outfit, with a long sword at her waist, and her chestnut hair is tied into a neat ponytail.

She walked onto the stage, turned to look at Melos, and without saying a word, she was signaling to everyone that she would be in charge of this duel.

Melos's face darkened: "Aina, what do you mean by this?"

Navelette explained, "Ms. Aina has always been one of the dueling agents of the Court of Justice."

"How is that possible?! Isn't she Ryder's secretary?"

“Yes, but she is also a dueling agent. However, her usual job is to instruct dueling agents rather than participate in duels, which is a special case.” Navelette was not lying. Aina was indeed a dueling agent of the Court of Justice, and she was more like an instructor.

This was Aina's own request. After passing the test with her strong combat ability and quickly becoming the best dueling agent, she proposed to only take on teaching work and to find a new job herself.

Because Aina's abilities are indeed outstanding, and serving as an instructor doesn't require too much time, and more importantly... with her salary halved, Vilette had no reason to refuse such a request.

As for why outsiders don't know, it was at Aina's own request.

“Count Melos, please.” Aina’s expression was cold, revealing no emotion.

But Su Chen, who knows her best, is naturally aware of this duelist's unique side and her unknown deeds as a competent secretary. It is precisely because Su Chen knows about these things that he feels at ease entrusting the management of the Legislative Department to her.

"Aina, are you really going to fight me?" Melos sneered. "Don't forget, you have a cooperation agreement with us."

Aina calmly said, "I have already handed over those agreements to Attorney Ryder, who will represent me in another case. My trial will follow soon, but until then, I still have the right to act as a duel agent."

Melos and the others were taken aback.

They had a profit-sharing agreement with Aina, and it was because of this agreement that they were all in the same boat and didn't have to worry about Aina betraying them.

Unexpectedly, Aina actually voluntarily 'confessed'?

“Melos, you must kill her!” Rost said in a low voice. “This woman will keep us imprisoned in Mello Petersburg forever.”

Melos remained silent. He stepped down from the dock and asked the guards for the weapon for the duel—a greatsword. As the vice commander of the navy, he was quite confident in his martial arts skills. No matter what Su Chen and Aina were planning, as long as he could win this duel, he would still have a chance.

“It seems you’ve been putting on an act with us from the very beginning.” Melos stared intently at Aina. “What benefits did Ryder give you that made you so devoted to him?”

"Lord Ryder did not promise any benefits."

"Then why betray us? Given your current situation, even if you work yourself to death your whole life, how much can you earn?"

"Although Lord Ryder didn't promise me any benefits..." Aina's gaze turned icy as she looked at the sword at her waist, "he gave me a chance for revenge."

Melos was taken aback: "Revenge?"

Six years ago, a large number of children went missing in Grey River.

Melos's pupils contracted: "You too..."

Aina said coldly, "Those people you killed, who turned into the water of Fontaine, told me that they must take revenge... revenge. They have come to claim your soul."

"That depends on whether you have the ability!"

Melos roared and charged at Aina with his greatsword.

The latter doesn't have the God's Eye; everyone else is just a mortal, while he is a battle-hardened naval commander. How could he possibly lose?

That's how it should be.

When Melos launched his attack, the entire theater fell silent. All eyes were on the two of them. They shared Melos's thoughts: how could an unknown dueling agent possibly defeat the Navy Vice Commander?

but.

Hey~

Just as the greatsword was about to fall, Aina raised her longsword, the blade scraping against the greatsword with a long, piercing sound. As Aina moved forward, the two figures crossed paths.

In an incredible twist, the sword seemed to extend from Aina's nimble arm; as the silver light flashed, blood splattered out.

"Ugh!"

Melos let out a scream as his right wrist was slashed by the blade, his tendons severed, and the tip of his greatsword fell to the ground.

wow~

Everyone exclaimed.

"How can it be?!"

Feeling the chill coming from behind, Melos turned around in shock and anger, but before he could see anything, the pain surged again.

The tendons in his other hand were also severed.

The greatsword lost its support and crashed to the ground.

Clang.

"W-who are you?!"

Melos screamed in terror.

"The spirits that have come to claim your life."

Aina was incredibly fast, even from a third-person perspective. Despite not having the Eye of God, she rendered Melos completely powerless to resist.

After a few moves, Melos's hands and feet were severed, and he collapsed to the ground, his face filled with terror and despair.

Everything happened too fast. He didn't even realize why he had lost. As he watched Aina approach step by step, Melos's mind went blank. He crawled backward desperately, blood spilling out from under him and forming a long, bright red trail.

"So, this is all you're capable of after losing your noble status?" Aina shook her head in disappointment.

"you..."

"Still don't remember?" Aina's eyes revealed deep sorrow. "Back then, that orphanage, those lovely children, because of your greed, even their last place of refuge was taken away... It's so unfair. Why are some people born high and mighty, and why can't we, who live in the Gray River, erase those worldly prejudices no matter how hard we try? And why is simply wanting to live an ordinary life a sin?"

Melos's mind jolted. He remembered. He finally remembered. Six years ago, during Operation Gray River, at that orphanage, his entire hundred-man squad had died there.

The one who killed them was said to be a woman, but no one knew her identity in the end, which even gave rise to the legend of the 'Grey River Ghost'.

Because the matter itself was illegal, Melos himself was wary, and once everything settled down, the matter was dropped.